Floor push-button device for plumbing



June 22 1926.

C. A. BOCK ET AL FLOOR PUSH BUTTON DEVICE FOR PLUMBING Filed March 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 22 1926. 1,589,353

C. A. BocK ET AL FLOOR PUSH BUT-20R DEVICE FOR PLUMBING Filed larch 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS aee-wwmg A T'I'O ANE Y Patented June 22, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,589,353 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. 3001: AND ALBERT GOERTZ, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

FLOOR PUSH-BUTTON DEVICE. FOR PLUMBING.

Application filed March 30,1925. .Serial- No. 19,422.

Our invention relates to push button devices for controlling the flushing of plumbing fixtures such as toilets and urinals, said devices being controlled by the pressure of the foot instead of being operated by hand. .lt comprises a box set in the floor, there being a button projecting through the cover. When said button is stepped on, it is adapted to pull upon a cable suitably connected to a flush tank or valve, which will admit a predetermined measured quantity of water to the fixture even after the foot, is removed from the button. There are many of such tanks and valves in use at present. The cable passes through a guide pipe on its way from the button to the flushing device. A particular object of our invention is the compact and simple construction of our push button device enabling it to be made of very small size and to be cheaply produced. The present invention avoids the necessity of burying a water pipe and valve in the floor as is sometimes done with floor devices acting directly upon a control valve.

- Vith our device, the'water pipe can be in its usual position and have an ordinary flushing device in connection with it. By means of a flexible connection the'fiushing device can be operated by the pushbutton.

Other objects and advantages will become.

apparent from a further study of the specification and drawings in which:

r Fig. 1 is a view of a toilet with its flush valve shown operatively connected to the push button device, the push button device being shown with the front wall of its casing removed, Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of the device taken substantially along the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 4,}Fig. 3.is a section approximately along the line 33 of Fig. 4, Fig. 1 is a plan View of the device, and Fig. 5 isa section through a modi- 7 shown in Fig. 4:. Cover 6fis provided with i lied construction of our device.

The push button casing compnses a lower.

box portion 5 preferably of cast iron and an upper cover 6 preferably of brass. Cover 6 is screwed down upon box portion 5, as

a sleeve 7 formed integrally with it. Button 8 is adapted to slide within sleeve 7. The lower portion of button'S is formed with a fork 9, and'a recess 10 extends up ward well within the interior of the button. Button 8 with its recess 10 and fork portion 9 straddles sheave sector'll.v Button 8 is pivotally mounted upon sheave sector 11 by means of pin 12. Sheave sector 11 is fixed to an axle 13 which is rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 14 carried by box portion 5. ,Sheave 11 is provided with a hole 17 into whichis inserted the end of wire cable 1b.v Wire cable 16 extends from hole 17 over the groove of sheave 11 and out of the box into pipe 18. Cable 16 is retained in place'in hole 17 by means of set screw 19. Cable 16 runs through pipe or guide 18, which passes through the floor of the toilet room. Cable 16 extends beyond guide 18 up to the handle 23 (Fig. 1) of flush valve 20, which'controls the flow of water through pipe 21 to the fixture 22. Valve 20 is preferably of the type well known to the art,.where asingle impulse given to handle 23 causesa predetermined amount of water to be discharged suflicient to flush the fixture 4 Sleeve 7 is formed with a taper (Figuresv '2 and 3) being of larger diameter at the slight motion of said pin to the right ure 2) as it rotates about axle 13.

Infoperation, pressure fof the foot, depresses button 8, causing a, partialrevolution of sheave 11', pulling cable 16. This causes handle 23 to bepulled down. When shown), forming partofthe mechanism of valve 20, pullsup handle causing button 8 to return to its raised position.

A modified form of ourconstruction is over sheave sector 33 is fastened tolever 29. The other end of cable 32 (not shown) is attached to the flushing mechanism of'the plumbingfixture. When push button 28 is depressed, lever 29 jpulls on cable 32 flushing the plumbing fixture thereby;

\Ve claim: v p 1. A floor push button device comprising, a casing adapted to be set into the floor, a sheave rotatably mounted Within said casing, a push button adapted .to cause rotation of said sheave, and aflexible member adapted 1 the foot is lifted frombutton 8, a spring (not lbs around said sheave, for connecting said device with the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture, and a guide, passing through the "floor, Within which said flexible "connection is adapted to "move, said member adapted to be pulled upon when the button is depressed.

3. A floor push button device comprising a casing adapted to be set intothe floor, a push button adapted to slide in the top of said casing, a rotatable member mounted Within said casingadapted to be rotated by the depression of said button, and a flexible member adapted to be pulled upon by said rotatable member for connecting said device with the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture.

4. A push button device for plumbing fixtures, comprising a casing,-a push button extending Within said casing, a rotatable member mounted Within said casing adapted to be rotated by said button, and a flexible member for connecting said device With the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture, said rotatable member being adapted to cause said flexible member to be pulled upon, efiecting the flushing of the fixture thereby.

'5. In a push button device for plumbing fixtures, a rotatably mounted sheavefa push button fpi'votally mounted upon said sheave for rotating same, and a cable for connecting said sheave with the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture,

6. A push button device for plumbing fixtures, comprising a casing, a sheave sector rotatably mounted within said casing, a push button extending Within said casing adapted to effect the rotation of said sector, and a flexible member for connecting said device With the "flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture, said member adapted to be pulled upon when the button is pushed.

7. A push button device for plumbing fixtures, comprising a casing, a sheave sector rotatably mounted Within said casing, a.

push button, for"rot'ating the sector, rotatably mounted uponsaid sector Withits axis of rotation located intermediate the axis of rotation of the sector and the rim of the sector, and a flexible member fastened at one end 'to'the sector and passing over its rim, and at the other to the flushing mechanism of 'a plumbing fixture.

8. In a push button device "for" plumbing fixtures, 'a rotatably mounted sheave, a push fixture, said flushing of the fixture When the a member for connecting said sheave with the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture, said member adapted to cause the fiushing of the fixture when the button pushed.

10. I-n-a push button device for plumbing fixtures, a 'rotatably mounted sheave, a push button rotatably mounted upon said sheave for rotating same, said push button being bifurcated for straddling said sheave, and a flexible'meinbe'r fastened to the sheave and to the fiushinb mechanism of a plumbing fIexible member passing over the rim of the sheave, between said rim and the button.

11. A push button device for plumbing fixtures, comprising a casing, a sheave sector rotata'bly mounted Within-said casing having its axis of rotation located up from the floor of the casing a distance less than the radius of said sector, a push button rotatably mounted upon said sector for rotating same and *a flexible member for connecting said'sector With the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture adapted to cause 'the sector is rotated. I

12. In a push button device for plumbing nature's, a 'rotatably mounted sheave sector,

a push button adapted to rotate said sector and a flexible member passing over the rim of said sector, said sector having a hole extendlng from its run to one'edge 1n which one end of the flexible member is fastened,

the other end of said member being fastened to the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture;

13. In a push button device for plumbing fixtures, a rotatably mounted sheave sector,

a push button having a forked end straddling said sector, a pin passing through said sectorand the forked end of the button for rotatably fastening said button to the sector, and a flexible member fastened at one end to the sector and passing over its rim, andatits other end to the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture, said pin passing through the sector relatively near the axis of rotation of the sector in comparison With the distance of its rim from said axis,

whereby a small displacement of said button'r'e'sul'ts in a relatively large displacelnent'of saidflexible member.

14. A push'button'device for. plumbing fixtures, comprising a casing provided with an opening surrounded by a tapered sleeve, a push button adapted to slide within said sleeve as a guide, a rotatable member mounted within said casing to which said push button is pivotally fastened and means adapted to be actuated by the rotation of said member for causing actuation of the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture when said button is pressed, the taper of said sleeve being provided to permit swinging of the button as its pivoted end rotates with said member.

15. A push button device forplumbing fixtures, comprising a push button, flexible means adapted to be pulled by the depression of said button for causing actuation of the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture, a hollow guide through which said flexible means is adapted to slide, and a casing provided with one opening through which said button is adapted to slide and another opening adapted to receive the end of said guide.

16. In a push button device of the character described, a casing comprising a box portion, aremovable cover with an opening therein for the push button and bearing blocks formed integrally with the walls of said box portion.

17 A floor push button device comprising a casing adapted to be set in the floor, a push button adapted to slide in an opening in said casing and means located within said casing adapted to be actuated by said push button, a flexible member, adapted to be pulled by said means, for connecting said means with the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture and a curved tubular guide, passing through the floor, through which said flexible member is adapted to slide. p

18. A floor'push button device comprising, a push button, a casing through which said button is adapted to slide, a rotatable memher, having an axle, adapted to be rotated by said button, bearings within said casing formed with U-shaped journals at the bottom of which said axle rests, and means adapted to be actuated by the rotation of said member for causing actuation of the flushing mechanism of a plumbing fixture. CHARLES A. BOOK. ALBERT GOERTZ. 

